


An Old Earth Tradition

by Telesilla



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Domestic, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 04:33:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telesilla/pseuds/Telesilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Little Elizabeth has had a bad day and so her two Earth dads share a tradition with her. A short follow-up to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/27468">This Bolder Life.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	An Old Earth Tradition

Teyla stopped in the doorway of their quarters and stared in surprise. The entire living room had been rearranged, there were blankets strung over the chairs and Rodney's desk, and the cushions and pillows had been pulled off both sofas. As she came further into the  
room, she heard Rodney's voice murmuring from within the tent like structure.

 

"I know it's not fair," he was saying. "But mice don't live as long as people do."

 

"Well they should," Elizabeth said.

 

Teyla could tell by her voice that her daughter had been crying and she carefully approached the blankets, trying to figure out how to join Rodney and Elizabeth without bringing the whole thing down on their heads.

 

Rodney stuck his head out between two blankets and smiled sadly when he saw her. "Elizabeth got some bad news so we made a blanket fort," he said, holding aside one of the blankets. "C'mon in."

 

The light was dim inside but Teyla could see the couch cushions and pillows mounded into what almost looked like a large nest.

 

"One of Aunt Jennifer's mice died," Elizabeth said, all but launching herself at Teyla as Teyla settled against a cushion. "Frankie Mouse."

 

"I am sorry." Teyla held Elizabeth close.

 

"He was old for a mouse," Elizabeth said, obviously trying to be grown up about the whole thing, even as she buried her face in her mother's neck.

 

As Teyla held her, Rodney moved away and touched his hand to his radio. He spoke too softly for Teyla to hear, but she wasn't surprised when, a moment or two later, she heard the door slide open.

 

"Nice fort," John said, holding out a plate as he slide under the blankets with them. "I was told we needed supplies though."

 

"Brownies?" Elizabeth looked at the plate and then at Teyla. "Mom, please? Before dinner?"

 

"Of course," Teyla said. She looked around as Elizabeth sat up and reached for a brownie. The blankets were not only supported by furniture but rope as well and she glanced over at Rodney. "I have never seen you do this before."

 

"It's a tradition," he said around a mouthful of brownie. "Sometimes blanket forts are for playing in, but most they're for hiding. Jeannie and me used to do this."

 

"We did it too," John said. "Me 'n' Dave."

 

"Hey," Ronon, sticking his head under a blanket a short time later. "Permission to come inside?"

 

"Sure," Elizabeth said, holding out a brownie. "We have brownies."

 

"Sorry about the mouse." Ronon settled down and pulled Elizabeth into his lap.

 

"He probably lived longer because you help Jennifer take care of him and the other mice," Rodney said.

 

Later, after they'd had dinner--sandwiches and then more brownies--in the fort and Ronon and John had made up stories about the adventures of Frankie Mouse, Elizabeth had finally fallen asleep, curled up in Rodney's lap.

 

"This is a good tradition," Teyla said, leaning against Ronon while John rested his head in her lap.

 

"Yeah," Rodney said, looking up at the blanket above his head. "It's weird, but...it helps."

 

"I missed blanket forts," John said quietly, reaching out for Rodney's hand. "When I got older."

 

"Don't see why we can't do it for us," Ronon said.

 

"I agree," Teyla said.

 

_-end-_

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place a few years after [This Bolder Life](bolderlife). All you need to know is that the team is in a relationship and that Rodney and Teyla's daughter is named Elizabeth. It was written for the Second Semi-Annual Blanket Fort Day.


End file.
